Many expatriates cancelling routine India visit during Christmas

MALAPPURAM: Airlines and other transport agencies are minting fortunes behind the guise of providing timely service during the festive season. Most of the expatriates residing in Gulf countries have thus abandoned their routine visits to their homeland during Christmas. Airfare rates have quadrupled while interstate private buses have shrewdly increased fares seeing the high rush experienced in booking train tickets.

Air fares have increased from the Gulf, Europe and America. Even budget airline Air India has shown a steep increase in the new airfares issued during the festive season. A family of four from Jeddah needs about two and a half lakh rupees to reach India. Rs 70,000 - 80,000 should be paid in economy class for a ticket that was once just Rs 25,000.

New York to Kochi now ranges around Rs 1,80,000 - 2,20,000. On normal days it was just Rs 75,000 - 85,000. London – Kochi has shown a two-fold rise with tickets now ranging from Rs 1,60,00. Normally these tickets were sold for Rs 50,000.

The Central government is not considering the demand to increase the number of seats on flights shuttling between Gulf countries. Schools in the Gulf, which were closed for winter vacation, will reopen in the second week of January.

Today's rate

Jeddah - Kozhikode................................... Rs 51,000 - 61,000

Sharjah - Kozhikode................................ Rs 36,000 - 40,000

Abu Dhabi - Kozhikode................... Rs 37,000 - 40,000

Abu Dhabi - Thiruvananthapuram...............Rs 35,000 - 40,000

Doha - Thiruvananthapuram.......................... Rs 50,000 - 65,000

Doha - Kochi................................................... Rs 35,000 - 40,000

Musket - Kochi ............................................ Rs 35,000 - 45,000

Sharjah - Kannur............................................ Rs 30,000 - 33,000